Spirit Ruin, Sword Coffin, Blind Swordsman

Yu Sui’an shut her eyes, sitting quietly on Li Guanqi’s shoulders. Her small hands clung to his ears. Though her once-round face had thinned, she was still as endearing as ever. She couldn’t stop grinning, as if she were the happiest person in the world.

Li Guanqi’s heart swelled with emotion. After so long wandering the world alone, he could finally rest. The peace that came with being home allowed him to lower his guard at last. Within the Daxia Sword Sect, there was nothing to fear. He had people he could truly rely on.

As they headed toward Heavenly Lightning Peak, countless disciples stopped to bow. Li Guanqi’s eyes brightened, and a smile curved his lips.

Li Guanqi gazed at his courtyard, which looked just as he’d left it. It was well kept, and someone had clearly been cleaning it regularly.

“Little Bao, have you missed me?”

Yu Sui’an was resting her head on his. She opened one eye and grabbed his ears again. She grinned and said, “Of course I did! I’ve missed you every single day.”

Li Guanqi chuckled. Two years have passed since we last saw each other. She’s grown taller, and her cultivation…

He couldn’t help but gently channel a wisp of vital force into her body, guiding it through her meridians in a smooth circuit.

Watching him, Li Nanting smiled. “Don’t worry, there’s nothing wrong with her. Her cultivation’s just progressing a little faster than most.”

Then, with a wink, he sent a voice transmission to Li Guanqi. “This little one is the Daxia Sword Sect’s second disciple with a Saint Spirit Root, though hers is of the water type.”Li Guanqi raised his brows in mild surprise. He hadn’t expected her to be so talented. A smile flickered across his face, though it was unclear what he was thinking about.

Creak.

They headed to Li Nanting’s courtyard, and Li Guanqi opened the gates. Everything inside remained the same, save for one thing—the old man who used to rock in that chair was gone. Elder Xu was the man who had taken Li Guanqi soaring on his first sword flight, but that old man would never go sword flying with him or sit in that rocking chair again.

Looking down at the large carp in the pond below, Li Guanqi smiled faintly. “Master, looks like Little Bao hasn’t been stealing fish lately?”

“Hahaha! When you’re not around, she just goes and bothers other people!”

Yu Sui’an puffed up indignantly. “Grandfather Li! We agreed not to talk about that!”

Li Nanting gently patted his own mouth with a grandfatherly smile. “Sigh, it’s my mouth. It says whatever it wants. Hahahaha. Come, let’s go in.”

The three stepped inside. Yu Sui’an slipped down from Li Guanqi’s shoulders and clung to his arm obediently. They settled in the room, and Li Nanting poured a cup of tea.

He said, “These two years out there must’ve been hard, hm?”

Li Guanqi accepted the cup with both hands, with a distant look in his eyes. He murmured, “Yes, a lot has happened.”

Li Nanting took a sip and sighed. “Many people have been keeping a close eye on you, including the Sect Master and me. We’ve more or less pieced things together. Now that you’re back, stay for a while. Wandering outside can be difficult. Let your mind settle.”

Li Guanqi smiled and nodded. He’d already planned to stay for a while.

Then he turned, coincidentally catching Yu Sui’an’s sneaky glance. He knew exactly what she was thinking.

He stood up and looked at her. She now reached his chest, at least a head taller than before. Her round face had sharpened, and her eyes were brighter and more energetic. Even as a child, anyone could tell she would grow into a beauty, and now it was even more apparent. In a few more years, young masters from various factions would surely be vying for her attention.

Li Guanqi bent down slightly, smiling. “Still like to eat bao?”

Yu Sui’an nodded vigorously, her smile crinkling her eyes.

Over the past two years, she’d heard many tales of Li Guanqi’s adventures from Lu Kangnian and Li Nanting. Knowing what he’d endured, she could forgive him if he’d forgotten the buns. Yet, deep down, she still hoped he hadn’t. It was a small thing, but it meant a lot to her.

Li Guanqi smiled. With a flicker of light, piles of bamboo steaming baskets[1] appeared before them.

Every bamboo basket had meat buns in it.

Yu Sui’an’s eyes went wide, sparkling with delight.

“I’ve been to more than three hundred towns, villages, and cities these past two years,” Li Guanqi said lightly. “I didn’t have time to stay in some of them, but I got you one hundred baskets of buns. Should last you a while.”

Yu Sui’an threw herself into his arms, laughing as she thumped his back. “Hahaha! You’re still the best! I knew you’d never forget!”

Tears welled in her eyes as she hugged his neck and whispered, “Thank you.”

Li Guanqi smiled. He knew she wasn’t thanking him for the buns, but for what he’d done during the battle against the Purple Sun Pavilion. She’d been in a coma from her injuries and hadn’t seen him since. When she learned what had happened afterward, her heart had only grown fonder of him. He felt like a real brother who took great care of her.

Yu Sui’an picked up a meat bun carefully, ready to take a bite.

“Hold on,” Li Guanqi said quickly. “It’s cold. Let me warm it up.”

He took the bun from her, much to her confusion. His palm burst into flames, and the air rippled with heat.

Li Nanting’s eyes widened. Even Lu Kangnian, far off in the main pavilion, stood up abruptly, his expression grave as he looked toward Heavenly Lightning Peak.

Li Nanting swallowed hard, sending a voice transmission to Li Guanqi. “Is that… heavenly fire?”

Li Guanqi passed the now-steaming bun back to Yu Sui’an, calm as ever.

Then he nodded. “It’s the sixteenth heavenly fire—the Lightning Dragon Flame. I found half an ancient jade pendant… and many things happened after that.”

He then recounted how Miao Rongchang had shadowed him for two years and what followed.

By the end, Li Nanting’s forehead was damp with cold sweat. He exhaled. “A cultivator’s greatest wealth is time. It’s not unusual for enemies to return after centuries or even millennia. It’s really hard to guard against that. Fortunately, you were cautious, or the consequences could’ve been unimaginable.”

Li Guanqi sighed. “It was my first time experiencing something like that. I learned a lot.”

The three of them squatted at the entrance and watched the sun sink into the horizon.

Yu Sui’an wasn’t listening to their talk. All she knew was that Li Guanqi was amazing. She munched happily on her bun, eyes half-closed with contentment.

Li Guanqi took out his red wine gourd and downed a mouthful of wine. The sunset that evening seemed especially beautiful.

Li Nanting sat on the doorstep, puffing on his pipe and gazing lovingly at the young man and the girl.

1. Traditional bamboo steamers used for Dim Sum and other steamed dishes. See the Translator’s Note for an image. ☜

Doge & Char’s Thoughts

This is what bamboo steamer baskets look like. Baozi (or just bao) are Chinese steamed buns typically filled with pork, vegetables, red bean paste, or other ingredients. They’re traditionally steamed in bamboo baskets like these and are a staple at Dim Sum restaurants, where they can be enjoyed as a snack, part of a meal, or alongside other dishes.